This Lemon Basil Chicken Salad recipe is perfect for lunch! It's made with rotisserie chicken and tossed in a homemade zesty herb dressing.
I'm always on the lookout for easy recipes with fresh flavors and simple ingredients that can be served for lunch or a light dinner. This Chicken Salad checks every one of those boxes.
As the weather warms up I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen every evening. Come spring and summer I'd rather be out for a walk, hiking, or hanging outdoors any way possible.
These are the times when shortcut ingredients like rotisserie chicken come in handy. You can grab a rotisserie chicken for under $10.00 in most supermarkets and use it to create some seriously tasty meals!
This recipe is made with diced rotisserie chicken and tossed in a homemade creamy lemon basil dressing. The flavors are bright and it can be enjoyed on a sandwich, in a wrap, or served low-carb in a lettuce wrap.
Jump to:
- Ingredients For Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
- How To Make Chicken Salad
- What Flavors Work Best With Chicken Salad?
- How To Make Lemon Mayo Dressing
- Can This Chicken Salad Be Made Ahead?
- What To Serve With Chicken Salad
- How Long Does Chicken Salad Last In The Fridge?
- Can It Be Frozen?
- Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
Ingredients For Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
This dish is made with a few simple ingredients that pack a lot of flavor. The lemon juice brightens up the rich rotisserie chicken and fresh basil makes the whole thing feel like summer.
I don't know about you guys but when warmer weather rolls around I am ALL about fresh herbs.
There is something about fresh herbs that helps to 'wake up' the flavors of any dish to which they are added.
Here's What You'll Need To Make It:
- 2 lbs. Rotisserie Chicken (yields 4 cups chicken)
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 Shallots
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
- ⅓ cup Mayo
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- ⅛ tsp. Kosher Salt & Pepper
- ½ cup fresh Basil
How To Make Chicken Salad
This Lemon Basil Chicken Salad is made super easy by the fact that it's prepared with rotisserie chicken. I love this ingredient because it's already cooked and seasoned.
Most rotisserie chicken is gluten free but make sure to check the ingredient list when purchasing to ensure that the product is gluten free if gluten is an issue for you.
The only 'work' involved is to remove the skin from the chicken, cut the meat from the bones, and dice it into cubes or shred it into pieces (depending on which texture of chicken salad you prefer).
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle remove it from the package, remove the skin, and discard (the skin is certainly edible and you can add it to the chicken salad if you like but it will change the texture and fat content of the recipe).
- Carefully pull all of the white and dark meat from the bones and place it on a cutting board. Cut the pieces of rotisserie chicken into cubes or shred it. You can cut the pieces as large or small as you like.
- Place the diced chicken into a large mixing bowl.
What Flavors Work Best With Chicken Salad?
The great thing about chicken salad is that you can take the flavors in so many directions.
Rotisserie chicken lends itself to any flavor profile from curry to chipotle to dill. You can make chicken salad sweet, spicy, smoky, or all of the above.
I love this version because the flavors are bright and vibrant making it perfect for the spring and summer months.
- The next step is to mince 4 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots.
- Dice 1 large bell pepper (any color).
- Place the minced garlic, shallots, and peppers in the mixing bowl along with the diced chicken.
Can I Sub Any Of These Ingredients?
Absolutely!
You can sub onions for shallots if that's what you have on hand. I like shallots in this recipe because uncooked they're a bit milder than onions but onion will work as well.
If subbing onions for shallots use ½ cup minced onions (any color).
You can use any color bell pepper you like.
How To Make Lemon Mayo Dressing
You can't have chicken salad without some kind of dressing.
Some chicken salad recipes use a heavy, creamy dressing and others go for a more vinaigrette-style.
This recipe is somewhere in between. The dressing is prepared with mayo so it's got that quintessential creamy tang but it's not overly laden with copious amounts of it.
- To make the dressing add ⅓ cup mayo to a small mixing bowl along with 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ⅛ tsp. kosher salt and pepper.
- Mix all of these ingredients until completely combined using a fork or a small whisk.
Can This Chicken Salad Be Made Ahead?
Once the dressing has been prepared it's time to combine all of the ingredients together.
- Mince ½ cup of fresh basil leaves.
- Pour as much or as little of the lemon mayo dressing over the chicken as you like and stir until completely combined. I added all of the dressing to the chicken and found it to be just creamy enough but you can go more or less if you prefer.
- Add the minced basil to the chicken salad and stir until combined. You can increase or decrease the amount of basil to your liking.
The great thing about this dish is that it can be made the day ahead.
Once all the ingredients are combined it's ready to go. If making ahead simply store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
What To Serve With Chicken Salad
This Lemon Basil Chicken Salad makes a great lunch or light dinner. I love to pair dishes like this one with some roasted vegetables like Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, or Garlic Green Beans.
I enjoy chicken salad served on a piece of gluten free bread with some leaf lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
Feel free to garnish the top with some extra basil, a squeeze of lemon, and more salt and pepper if needed.
It's nice with a summer salad like this Pickled Beet Salad, Italian Green Bean Salad, Grilled Corn Salad, Cherry Tomato Salad, Minty Pea Salad, or Kohlrabi Coleslaw.
You can use two slices of bread and make it a full sandwich, add it to a wrap, or go low-carb and serve it in lettuce cups.
It's also great served with pita bread, naan bread, or even crackers.
Looking for more lunch recipes? Don't miss these!
- Mediterranean Veggie Naan Pizza
- Italian Prosciutto Grilled Cheese
- Rachel Sandwich with Coleslaw
- Reuben Sauerkraut Sandwich
- Chicken Panini with Chipotle Mayo
- BLT with Lemon Basil Mayo
- Chicken Gouda Grilled Cheese
- Arugula Pesto Tomato Pizza
How Long Does Chicken Salad Last In The Fridge?
This is a great recipe to prepare and enjoy throughout the week because it lasts 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make sure to store it in the fridge as opposed to room temperature as it contains mayo.
Can It Be Frozen?
I do not recommend freezing it as this recipe contains mayo and is best enjoyed fresh.
If you have stored the chicken salad in the fridge for a few days and found it has dried out a bit you can liven it up with a squeeze of lemon or add a little extra mayo.
Looking for more lunches to enjoy? Check out these recipes!
- Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad
- Wild Rice Chicken Salad
- Mustard Egg Salad
- Curried Chickpea Salad
- Lemon Dill Egg Salad
- Italian Soup and Pesto Grilled Cheese
Love Chicken Salad? Don't Miss These Recipes!
Healthy Chicken Salad
Curry Chicken Salad
Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For The Chicken Salad:
- 2 lbs. rotisserie chicken yields 4 cups
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots or ½ onion (any color)
- 1 bell pepper any color
- ½ cup basil plus more for garnish
For The Lemon Mayo Dressing:
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp. kosher salt adjust to taste
- ⅛ tsp. pepper adjust to taste
- gluten free bread, wraps, or crackers to serve optional
Instructions
For The Chicken Salad:
- Mince 4 cloves of garlic and 2 shallots (or ½ an onion).
- Dice 1 large bell pepper (any color).
- Mince ½ cup fresh basil.
- Once the rotisserie chicken is cool enough to handle remove it from the package, remove the skin, and discard. Carefully pull all of the white and dark meat from the bones and place it on a cutting board, discarding the chicken bones.
- Cut the pieces of rotisserie chicken into cubes or shred it. You can cut the pieces as large or small as you like. Place the diced chicken into a large mixing bowl.
- Place the minced garlic, shallots, and peppers in the mixing bowl along with the diced chicken.
For The Lemon Mayo Dressing:
- Combine ⅓ cup mayo, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until completely combined.
- Drizzle as much or as little of the dressing over the chicken salad as you like. Stir until completely combined.
- Add the minced basil to the chicken salad and stir until completely combined.
- To Serve: Serve in a full or half sandwich, wrap, tortilla, pita bread, naan bread, lettuce wrap, or with crackers (make sure to choose a gluten free brand if gluten is an issue for you).Squeeze a wedge of lemon over the top and garnish with extra basil. Adjust salt and pepper levels as needed (optional).
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